1856-C Quarter Eagle (1856-C $2.50) NGC AU55. The featured coin is an 1856-C $2.5 Liberty Head quarter eagle graded AU55 by NGC. The surfaces of this coin are unspoiled and free of any major flaws. The beautiful color that this coin exhibits is nicely complimented by the sharply struck devices that help the design stand out so well. Quarter eagles struck at the Charlotte mint are particularly rare and expensive in any condition, and these pieces are the keys to a collection from the five mints.

The Liberty Head $2.5 gold quarter eagle was produced by the United States Mint for 68 years, from 1840-1907. Designed by Christian Gobrecht, the Coronet design, as it is sometimes referred to as, features a large head of Liberty facing left, wearing a wide coronet inscribed with the word LIBERTY. Her hair is pulled back in a bun and held in place by a string of pearls. Thirteen stars are placed around the periphery, representing the original colonies, with the date below. The reverse is adorned by an eagle originally designed by John Reich. The 1840-1907 version was probably modified by Robert Ball Hughes. The heraldic eagle has its wings spread from rim to rim with the Union shield covering its breast. An olive branch representing the country's peaceful intentions is in the eagle's right claw, with three arrows emphasizing military preparedness in the left. The legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA surrounds the eagle, with the denomination 2 1/2 D. beneath the bird.

The unchanging durability of the Coronet design on quarter eagles is unrivalled in the history of U.S. coinage. This exceptionally long span of time still stands as the longest uninterrupted use of a coin design without a major design alteration. When the first coins were struck in 1840, much of the United States was still a rough and tumble frontier that valued hard cider and log cabins enough to elect as their leader the coarse old Indian fighter, William Henry Harrison. As the final Coronet quarter eagles were struck in 1907, America was in many ways a different country than it had been in 1840. It retained the rugged individualism that had characterized the national spirit throughout the 19th century, but it was a more mature America, heralded not only for its powerful economic and military presence throughout the world, but for its diplomatic achievements.